Star Trek Voyager writer and producer, Brannon Braga shares his picks for his favorite episode of each character, but are they truly the best?
Star Trek: Voyager remains a favorite of the franchise. The plotline of a crew of Starfleet and Maquis rebels thrust across the universe and trying to get home was a compelling series. The show was excellent, making it work thanks to a great cast, and even amid a few dud stories, it retained its audience over 30 years.
At a special 30th anniversary panel at the STLV convention, Braga, the show’s key showrunner and head writer, shared what he felt was the best episode for each of the main characters. However, while some picks can be agreed on by fans, others don’t really seem to work as the best for each character.
So here’s Braga’s picks contrasted with our own as a reminder of how amazing Star Trek: Voyager was in character work!
Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan)
Braga’s Pick: “Someone to Watch Over Me” [S5 E22]
This episode was a Star Trek take on Pygmalion as The Doctor bets Paris he can teach Seven of Nine romance and empathy. This was the first genuine showcase of Jeri Ryan’s humanity in the character and her remarkable connection with The Doctor.
“If you’ve seen it, you know what she brought. She brought all the Seven of Nine complexity and all the vulnerability, and somehow communicated both at the same time, by some miracle.”
Our pick: “Infinite Regress” (S5 E7)
Good as Braga’s pick is, this episode really gives Seven more of a showcase and shows Ryan’s versatility. An accident causes Seven to get the Borg equivalent of dissociative identity disorder as the personas of the people she’s assimilated start taking over. That allows Ryan to show off Seven as a child, a scared mother, a Klingon, and even a Ferengi. While played for laughs, the episode also delves into Seven’s trauma and guilt over how many lives she’s destroyed and Ryan’s range is astounding.
B’Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson)
Braga's pick: “Extreme Risk” [S5 E03]
This thrilling episode introduced the Delta Flyer, which the crew uses to explore a gas giant. Torres becomes obsessed with proving it can work to the point that Janeway removes her from duty. It turns out Torres is affected by news of the Maquis being wiped out and that drives her to a more dangerous attitude.
“Roxann brought engineering acumen, half-Klingon angst… But to me, she was the most dangerous character, the most cutting edge character, and in that episode, she was pushing the limits of her own psyche.”
Our Pick: “Day of Honor” (S4 E03)
This episode focuses on Klingons, as it’s an important date for self-reflection. For Torres, who’s always wrestled with her half-human heritage, it’s a challenge, especially when she faces a holographic ritual. It gets tougher for her, culminating in her and Paris being stranded in space as Torres finally opens up about her past and her fears. It does lead to her confessing she’s in love with Tom for a landmark moment for the series and a better showcase for Torres.
Tuvok (Tim Russ)
Braga’s pick: “Meld” [S2 E16]
This episode is like a horror film as Tuvok mind melds with a psychopathic killer to try and understand him. That only causes Tuvok to absorb the killer’s madness and violence, a shocking turn by Tim Russ that reminds viewers how dangerous Vulcans can be.
“That is just a deep Vulcan dive. He mind melds with a psychopath. And his performance in that thing — and it was one of the first episodes, very early on to be throwing that at him. And still, I think it’s the best Tuvok episode.”
Our pick: “Meld”
This is one time we agree with Braga, as “Meld” showcases a different side of Tuvok, and Russ’ performance is astounding. Seeing Tuvok going mad is gripping, as is his attempt to understand how anyone can be without a conscience. Also, Brad Dourif is a fine match as the villain and makes this a stunning showcase for Tuvok.
Chakotay (Robert Beltran)
Braga’s pick: “Scorpion” (Part 1) [S3 E26]
This is a bit surprising as the episode introducing Seven of Nine is more a general crew one. When they discover an incredibly powerful enemy, the crew is forced to team up with the Borg, with Chakotay naturally wary to the point of arguing with Janeway before having to take charge.
“He brought the force of his rank to bear as the first officer and challenge the captain. I just thought you were at your best when you and Janeway were going at it. You made that two-parter work, because we had to understand why this was such a [expletive] terrible idea that Janeway was about to pull. We had to understand the danger and the risk.”
Our pick: “Nemesis” (S4 E04)
This episode is a much better focus on Chakotay as he crashes on a planet caught between two warring sides. As he fights to survive, Chakotay bonds with one of the factions, unaware he’s being indoctrinated to that side. For a soldier against the Federation, Chakotay has to face his new prejudices, especially at the end and Beltran’s performance aids this unique journey.
The Doctor (Robert Picardo)
Braga’s pick: “Latent Image” [S5 E11]
Rather than a humorous episode, Braga picks a more serious turn for The Doctor. When he uncovers clues that some of his memories are missing, The Doctor’s search for the truth uncovers a terribly moral quandary. Picardo delves into the character’s guilt and regret in fine form that shows just how human this hologram was.
“That is not an episode where he’s singing and dancing or doing all that stuff. But it’s the one that’s about post-trauma as it regards to an artificial life form, and whether we should even be considering things like that. And how, with an AI, why not just delete it, and what the consequences of that are? I think it’s one of the best Voyager episodes, period.”
Our pick: “Real Life”(S3 E22)
The Doctor had a score of excellent focused episodes so it’s hard to really choose a favorite. Yet this is an amazing showcase as he crafts his own holographic family. It goes well at first until he tries to make them more authentic and thus faces all the challenges of a husband and father. It takes a tragic turn at the end with The Doctor having to face up to how being human means suffering the bad parts too, a good message for any Star Trek series.
Harry Kim (Garrett Wang)
Braga’s pick: “Timeless” [S5 E06]
The 100th episode of the series has a future Kim and Chakotay finding a long-crashed Voyager ice. 15 years earlier, the pair had tested a new warp drive that got them to Earth but cost them everyone else. Wracked with guilt, Kim hopes to send a message back to his younger self to stop this disaster, with this Kim being a harder and bitter figure than the one we know, to show Wang’s range.
“The obvious choice, really showed off your chops in a great, great way.”
Our pick: “The Chute” (S3 E03)
Wang has always cited this as his favorite Kim episode, which alone makes it a great choice. It works well as Kim and Paris are wrongfully accused of a bombing on an alien world and thrown into prison together. They also have neural clamps driving them slowly crazy, with Kim trying to control himself. Wang is excellent, showing Kim’s struggle to keep his humanity and solidifying his friendship with Paris for a gripping episode.
Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill)
Braga’s pick: Captain Proton arc, including “Bride of Chaotica!” [S5 E12]
This is a really strange pick, which Braga acknowledges, as these were holographic adventures Paris created based on 1930s movie serials. They’re cheesy, and “Bride” is arguably the funniest episode in the series, yet weird Braga picks this as the best of Paris over other choices.
“I know this seems like a silly answer, but I really think it captured Tom Paris and ended up being really a popular thing.”
Our pick: “Thirty Days” (S5 E09)
A far better choice for a stellar Paris episode is this, which opens with Tom starting a month-long stay in the brig. The framing device has Paris writing a letter to his father explaining what happened, which involves him defying orders and the Prime Directive to help an underwater race. It’s a mix of the old cocky Paris with the man dedicated to doing what he feels is right, no matter the consequences and McNeill captures both perfectly.
Neelix (Ethan Phillips)
Braga’s pick: “Mortal Coil” [S5 E03]
Neelix could be a divisive character for some fans, yet this episode made him far more important. After a near-death experience, Neelix is deeply shaken by not seeing any afterlife, challenging his faith and making him wary of life itself. It’s often ranked among the best episodes of the series and for good reason.
“Neelix was often the comic relief type character, but my favorite episode for him was ‘Mortal Coil’ where he lost his faith and was challenged after a near-death experience.”
Our pick: “Mortal Coil”
While "Jetrel” (S1 E14) is a top contender, this is another case where Braga is dead right. Phillips delivers his finest performance of the series in this episode as the usually jovial Neelix has his entire worldview rocked, carrying anger, guilt, fear and more. Phillips has cited it as his best work and many fans will agree that even Neelix haters have to respect this story.
Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew)
Braga’s pick: “Year of Hell” [S4 E08 & E09]
Often listed among the best Voyager stories ever, “Year of Hell” has the ship battered around thanks to a scientist weaponizing time travel to help his world. Everyone is broken physically and mentally, with Janeway doing her best to maintain order before a fantastic finale that shows why you don’t mess with her.
“I want to say ‘Counterpoint’… But I have to go with the fan favorite, “Year of Hell,” because that was a complete captain’s story. It was about bringing all of her captainly instincts, all of her maternal instincts, all of her instincts to bear, to save her crew. And she went down with the ship.”
Our pick: “Counterpoint” (S5 E10)
Here’s another case where the actor’s favorite episode is also the character’s best. Kate Mulgrew got to shine in this tale as Voyager tries to hide some telepaths from a government hunting them. One agent offers to help and is soon in a romance with Janeway. As it turns out, Janeway was playing the guy all along while clearly having some real feelings for each other. We see Janeway more flirty yet sneaky, romantic and commanding, all in one go, to leave you guessing and make the payoff even better.
Kes (Jennifer Lien)
Our Pick: “Before and After (S3 E21)
Unfortunately, Jennifer Lien wasn’t part of the panel, so Braga didn’t list a Kes episode. We’ll do it for him, though, with this tale, which is also an underrated time travel story. An aged Kes starts bouncing backward in time, including a peek at “Year in Hell” as she also regains memories of her past. Lien does a fine job acting with the makeup for an elderly Kes and handling the strange concept while also giving insight into her past. It’s really a reminder of this character never quite getting the showcase she deserved on Voyager.
So, which Star Trek: Voyager episodes would you choose as a representation of each character's very best? Do you agree with Braga's choices? Ours? Visit the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages to share your thoughts and comments.
Star Trek: Voyager is now streaming on Paramount+. Plus, all 26 episodes of season 3 are currently available absolutely free on PlutoTV.